Violins and like instruments



June 9, 1954 J. G. cHARLEswoRTH 3,136,196

VIOLINS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 June 9,1964 J. G. cHARLEswoRTH 3,136,196

voLNs AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS 3 Sheets-SheetV 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 June 9,1964 l J. G. cHARLEswoRTH 3,135,196

VIOLINS AND LKE INSTRUMENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 9. 1961 hmmm,

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United States Patent O 3,136,196 VIOLINS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS John G.Charlesworth, 52 Cumberland Ave., Portland, Maine Filed Jan. 9, 1961,Ser. No. 81,502 4 Claims. (Cl. 84-275) The present invention relates toviolins, violas, cellos, and bass instruments.

While the invention is equally adapted to violas, cellos andbassinstruments, it is herein discussed primarily in connection withviolins as they are more widely used. In addition, it is generallyunderstood that the tonal qualities of violins vary widely and thatthese qualities are attributable to small structural variations. Thisfactor is, of course, equally true of the other instruments with whichthe invention is concerned even if less commonly appreciated.

f Theprincipaly objective of the present invention is to provide aconstruction for violins, violas, cellos, and bass instruments thatenables superior tonal qualities to be imparted thereto with uniformity.

Each such instrument has a back, belly or top, and side Y walls with theback and belly each having upper and lower bouts and ansintermediatewaist portion whose edges are approximately arcuate and having purflinglines adjacent their edges. In accordance with the invention, its broadobjective is attained by` providing that both the belly and backdecrease in thickness from a central zone to a zone closely adjacent thepuring lines where they increase in thickness. The thinnest portion ofthe belly and yback is in a zone extending marginally of butspacedinwardly of the waist portion on each side of the back and intoareasinclusive yof the corner blocks to which the back and the belly'aresecured and which are located adjacent the extremities of their waistportions and the Side walls are of the same thickness as the thinnestzones of the back between the corner blocks.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodimentof the invention from which `these and otherof its objectives, novelfeatures, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top'y elevation the invention; f y

FIG. 2 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 2-2 ofFIG. 1 but on anr increased scale;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section of the violin also on anincreased scale; f

FIG. 4 is side elevation of a bass bar on the scale of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan View of ythe interior of the violin with thegbelly ortop of the violin removed and drawn on the scale of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic view, on an increased scale, ofthe backof a violin with the details limited to the outlines of the severalzones; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, and on the same scale, showing thebelly of the violin.

In the drawings, a violin is shown that is conventional in that it has aback 10, a belly or top 11, and interconof a violin in accordance withstrings '20, 21, 22, and 23 are attached with their other ends beingsecured to the keys 24, 25, 26, and 27, respectively, by which they maybe drawn suitably taut over the bridge 28. The sound apertures 29 are ofconventional shape and these are located on opposite sides of the bassbar 30 attached to the undersurface of the belly 11 somewhat nearer oneside than the other. The usual post is indicated at 31.

The violin, as thus far described, is conventional and in order that thenovel featuresand advantages of the invention may be fully appreciated,reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 7, particularly FIG. 7, wherein thebelly is shown as having a generally indicated central or first zone 32extending from and including the yarea occupied by the neck block 13 andthe tail block 14 cf. FIGS. 5 and 7. The zone 32 has upper and lowerbout portions 32B and 32C, respectively, separated from each other by awaist portion 32A. The upper bout portion 32B is separated from the neckportion 32D by a narrowed portion 32E, while a narrowed portion 32Pseparates the lower bout portion 32C from the tail block portion 32G,all the portions having the same prefix designation have kthe same'dimensional characteristics. y

On each side of the zone 32, thereis a second generally indicated zone33, see FIGS. l and 7, each generally similar in outline to the outlineof the proximate edge of the belly 11 in that each includes an upperbout portion 33B, a lower bout portion 33C, and an intermediate waistportion 33A. The remainder ofy thebelly 11 consists of third generallyindicated zones 34, one'on each side of the first zone32 and separatedtherefrom by a second zone 33 except'in the area of the neck and tailblock portions 32D and 33G, respectively.

Therback 10, see FIGS. Sand 6, particularly FIG. 6, is generally similarin that it has a generally indicated central or kfirst zone 132extending from and including the area occupied by the neck block 13andthe tail block 14. Like the vzone 32, the zone 132 has upper andlower bout portions 132B and 132C, respectively, separated from eachother by a waist'portion 132A. The upper bout portion 132B is separatedfrom the neck block portion 132D by a narrow portion 132E, while anarrow portion 132F separates the lower bout portion 132C from the tailblock portion 132C. All the portions of the back having the same prefixdesignation have the same dimensional characteristics.

On each side of the first Zone 132, there is a second generallyindicated zone 133. Each zone 133 hask an outline approximating that ofthe proximate edge of the back 10 in that each includes an upper boutportion 133B, a lower bout portion 133C, and an intermediate waistportion 133A. The remainder of the back 10 includes Of these, the fourthzone 134 is transverse line indicated at 135 approximately throughnecting side walls 12. As is also conventional, a neck f the middle ofthe waist that radii pass through the area of the corner blocks 15 and16and cut about halfway into the waist portion 133A. There are,accordingly, four third zones, namely, two upper bout portions 136B andtwo lower bout portions 136C. J l

In order that violins in accordance with the inventio may be madeaccurately, it will be assumed that the violin shownin the drawings isfull size. In that case, the first zones may be 2% wide in their boutportions with about tive inches separating their widest parts and theirbeing of maximum thickness, typically 5/32 inch. The remainder of therst zones taper to approximately %2 inch. The second zones, in the areaof their bout portions, are approximately 11/2 inches wide as arecorresponding pori tions of the third zones and in them, the back tapersfrom 3 %2 to 3/32 inch with an average median thickness being 4/32 inch.

In the third zones, the thickness of the wood gradually increases from3%32 to i732 inch but in the fourth zone, the thickness is furtherdecreased to about %2 inch and that thickness is maintained until closeto the purfling line Where its thickness is sharply increased to 5732inch. The thickness of the sides closely approximates that of thethinnest Vpart of the fourth zone.

It will also be appreciated that violas, cellos, and bass viols aresimilar in construction as to the general features but their dimensionsvary with their size. With full sized instruments of the indicated type,the following chart shows the amount of taper and typical width of thezones in which the tapers occur so that those skilled in the art willexperience no difficulty in making instruments in accordance with theinvention.

THICKNESS (IN 32NDS OF AN INCH) WIDTH (AVERAGE WIDTH IN INCHES) IN LOWERBDUT Violin 2% 1% 1% Viola 3 1% 1% Cello 8 2 2% Bass viol 11 3% 8%Another important element of a violin in accordance with the inventionis the bass bar 30 which may be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. The length ofthe bass bar is conventional, say lOl/2 for a full size violin and ittapers from 1A adjacent the belly to 1A". In accordance with theinvention, the bass bar 30 has a central portion 30A of maximumthickness, the portion 30A being 11/2 inches in length and 1/2 an inchin thickness, and end portions 30B and 30C. The end portions are 51Ainches in length and taper to 1A; of an inch and they are also providedwith a concavity 30D.

For other instruments in accordance with the invention, the aboveportions and their dimensions are proportionate to the bass bar length.The length of a viola bass bar is l2 inches, that :of a cello is 24inches, and that of a bass viol is 29 inches.

It will be appreciated that the thickness of the wood is not too sharplyvaried at the edges of the zones but is increased gradually from zone tozone with the indicated outlines being medians, particularly between thefirst and second zones.` It is not essential that the thickness becontinuously varied transversely of any of the zones and usually,especially when the zones are wide, the average thicknesses aremaintained through a substantial part thereof.

A stringed instrument, in accordance with the invention, whether it be aviolin, viola, bass viol or cello, is characterized by the excellence ofits tone and the reason for this is that the top 10, which is the soundboard, has the sounds of the G and D strings primarilyproduced by thefirst zone, the sounds of the D and A strings primarily produced by thesecond zone, and the sounds of the A` and E strings generated primarilyin the third zone. The back of the. instrument, which is the amplifier,has the first zone to amplify the G and D strings, the second zone toamplify the D and A strings, and the third zone t amplify the Aand Estrings. The fourth zone and the side walls, which are of the thicknessof the fourth zone, serve to correlate the several frequencies resultingin the high tonal qualities that are characteristic of instruments inaccordance with the invention.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a violin and like instruments, a back having upper and lower boutsand an intermediate waist portion Whose edges are approximately arcuate,said back includ ing a puring line within but close to its edge, acentral first zone of approximately the same shape as said back andbeing of a first thickness, a second zone surrounding said rst zone butspaced from said edge and thinner than said rst zone, the remainingmarginal portion within said purfling line being divided into third andfourth zones by approximately arcuate lines, one on each side of saidback, and having their centers located on a transverse lineapproximately through the middle of the waist, said arcuate lines beingapproximately inclusive of the margin of the waist part of said secondzone and including proximate parts of the bouts, the third zones beingthinner than the proximate portions of said second zone, said fourthzones being thinner than said third zones, and said third and fourthzones sharply increasing in thickness close to said purfling line.

2. In a violin and like instruments, a back having upper and lower boutsand an intermediate waist portion Whose edges are approximately arcuate,said back including a puring line within but close to its edge, acentral first zone of approximately the same shape as said back andbeing of a first thickness, a second zone surrounding said first zonebut spaced from said edge and thinner than said first zone but havingits end portions thicker than its waist portion, the remaining marginalportion within said purfling line being divided into third and fourthzones by approximately arcuate lines, one on each side of said back, andhaving their centers located on a transverse line approximately throughthe middle of the waist, said arcuate lines being approximatelyinclusive of the margin of the waist part of said second zone andincluding proximate parts of the bouts, the third zones being thinnerthan the proximate portions of said second zone, said fourth zones beingthinner than said third zones, and said third and fourth zones sharplyincreasing in thickness close to said purtling line.

3. In a violin and like instruments, a back and top each having upperand lower bouts, an intermediate waist portion whose edges areapproximately arcuate, and a purlling line within but close to its edge,and side walls secured to said back and top adjacent said lines, saidback having a central first zone of approximately the same shape as saidback and being of a first thickness, a second zone surrounding saidfirst zone but spaced from said edge and thinner than said first zone,the remaining marginal portion of said top within said purlling linebeing thinner than said second zone and the corresponding portion of theback being divided into third and fourth zones by approximately arcuatelines, one on each side of said back, and having their centers locatedon a transverse line approximately through the middle of the waist, saidarcuate lines being approximately inclusive of the margin of the waistpart of said 'second zone and including proximate parts of the bouts,the third zones being thinner than said second zone, said fourth zonesbeing thinner than said second zone, said third and fourth zones sharplyincreasing in thickness close to said purfling line, and said side wallsbeing of the same thickness as said fourth zones.

4. In a violin and like instruments, a back and top each having upperand lower bouts, an intermediate waist portion whose edges areapproximately arcuate, and a purfling line within but close to its edge,and side walls secured to said back and top adjacent said lines,'saidback and top each including a central first zone of approximately thesame shape and being of a first thickness, the first zone of said topincluding a central portion of maximum top thickness, a second zonesurrounding said first zone but spaced from said edge and thinner thansaid first zone, the remaining marginal portion within said 5 purfiingline being thinner than said second zone and in the case of said backdivided into third and fourth zones by approximately arcuate lines, oneon each side of said back, and having their centers located on atransverse line approximately through the middle of the waist, saidarcuate lines being approximately inclusive of the margin of the Waistpart of said second zone and including proximate parts of the bouts,said fourth zones being thinner than said third zone, said third andfourth zones sharply increasing in thickness close to said puring line,and said side Walls being of the same thickness as said fourth zonesexcept close to said line, and a bass bar secured to the under surfaceof said top and extending from one bout to the other, and having acentral part of uniform thickness and approximately co-extensive withsaid central portions and end portions extending into said third zonesand tapering gradually in thickness to a minimum in said third zones.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS109,696 White NOV. 29, 1870 536,081 Howe Mar. 19, 1895 572,906 McNicholDec. 8, 1896y 1,419,440 Ashley June 13, 1922 1,800,980 Berry et al Apr.14, 1931 2,150,736 Braman Mar. 14, 1939

1. IN A VIOLIN AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS, A BACK HAVING UPPER AND LOWER BOUTSAND AN INTERMEDIATE WAIST PORTION WHOSE EDGES ARE APPROXIMATELY ARCUATE,SAID BACK INCLUDING A PURFLING LINE WITHIN BUT CLOSE TO ITS EDGE, ACENTRAL FIRST ZONE OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SHAPE AS SAID BACK ANDBEING OF A FIRST THICKNESS, A SECOND ZONE SURROUNDING SAID FIRST ZONEBUT SPACED FROM SAID EDGE AND THINNER THAN SAID FIRST ZONE, THEREMAINING MARGINAL PORTION WITHIN SAID PURFLING LINE BEING DIVIDED INTOTHIRD AND FOURTH ZONES BY APPROXIMATELY ARCUATE LINES, ONE ON EACH SIDEOF SAID